


Strange Beginnings

by kirasha, Titti



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Challenge Response, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-06
Updated: 2013-02-06
Packaged: 2017-11-28 10:52:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/673582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kirasha/pseuds/kirasha, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Titti/pseuds/Titti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt: Bonded fic. They can't be farther than twenty feet away from each other and the space only gets shorter as time goes on. Until New Year's when they meet under the mistletoe</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strange Beginnings

Cora smiled wickedly as the ship reached Storybrooke. She was here to help Regina, to give her the family she always wanted and the revenge she needed. She'd made promises to Hook, but she'd broken promises before, and he'd just had to deal.

She concentrated and let the magic spring from her and move like a cloud over the town. It wouldn't affect most, only two people.

Now, she could just watch and enjoy her revenge.

* * *

Something was different. Gold didn't know what, but he could feel that the air had changed in Storybrooke. He could always tell when someone with magic was nearby, but this was more than that. It was almost like he'd been affected by this magic, which couldn't be. No one was as strong as he was, and no one's magic could affect him. 

No one's but Cora.

But, she wasn't here. Still, it was worth investigating. He picked up his cane and walked down the main street. Everything seemed normal. He couldn't find anything to justify his suspicions, but then magic was a tricky thing. Pushing on, he ended up at Granny's.

The air was warm in the little diner, which was currently filled with people celebrating Snow and Emma's return. They were so busy with their party that he didn't even get the usual cold glares. The lack of attention gave him the time to look around for anything amiss. His eyes stopped on Charming. 

The man was stunning, the prince that everyone wanted. His smile was warm and caring. Gold froze as he realized what he was thinking. Something was definitely wrong. It was time to go back and figure out what was happening.

"Leaving so soon?"

"Ms. Swan, I didn't know your family had migrated here. That burger can wait until it's less crowded," he answered smoothly.

"You should stay. Have a beer at least," she said. 

Gold didn't know why most of what she said sounded like a challenge, but he wasn't interested in the games of a little mortal, when something much bigger was at play. "Perhaps another time."

Emma snorted. "Not if I have anything to say about it. We're not going anywhere."

"Life is seldom that simple, but I hope you got your wish. Good evening, Ms. Swam." He bowed slightly, but when he looked up, he wasn't looking at her, but at Charming. Their eyes locked and for an instant, he felt completely at peace.

* * *

"Where are you going?" James, Prince Charming, looked down to find Henry looking at him curiously. He hadn't even realized he'd moved until his grandson's voice stopped him.

"Nowhere. I just want a word with Mr. Gold and then I'll be right back." Smiling, he ruffled Henry's hair before making his way across Granny's. Making his way across Granny's was easier said than actually done, however, as Granny's regulars had now heard the story while Henry and Emma and Snow caught each other up on literally everything. Everyone wanted to join in the congratulations and celebrations. It was the first real victory they'd had since the curse ended.

Everyone but Gold, it seemed. The man showed up unexpected and tried to leave almost as soon as he arrived.

But, just before, there had been a moment. Just a moment. It was the oddest thing James had felt in a long time. His eyes had met Gold's across the room and it was like everything clicked. It all made sense. Then the moment passed, Emma cut off his view as she turned away to let Gold leave, and nothing made sense. He just knew he couldn't let Gold go too far without talking to the man.

It was the right thing to do, after all. Gold had helped him contact Snow, helped Henry. James owed him a thanks or a beer.

Shaking his head, he opened the door. He didn't owe Gold anything. Sure, he'd helped. Then, his actions had almost killed James' family and left James trapped in that nether dream realm. Why was he chasing after- "Gold, wait. You can't just take off like that without a word." James smirked, almost teasing. "It's almost as if you didn't like us or something."

Gold used the cane to pivot around and stare at the other man. "And why wouldn't I like you? You imprisoned me, kept me alone and in the dark for what felt forever, and when you need help, you always sound like I'm doing you a favor. Yes, I can't imagine why I wouldn't like you or your family." It was the dry retort that he'd use with anyone, but it hid so many more feelings that he refused to let people see. Like the fact that for the first time, he truly despised Snow and wished that he'd let Regina kill her.

"You have your family back," he continued, calmly, "and I wasn't here to celebrate, and I shall leave you to your … minions."

"And you're a paragon of virtue, manipulating everyone with your deals and bargains to some mysterious end?" James snorted. "You ever think there's a reason why you're as mistrusted, if not more, than Regina?" Why was he bothering, again? It was just as likely Gold had planned all of this to further his own goals as it was he intended to help.

He should really go back inside, have a beer with his daughter.

"So why are you here? If not to celebrate? You didn't want Regina's mother here. Your plan to contact Snow and Emma worked. Seems like you've got reason enough to celebrate yourself."

"This is a restaurant, even if I use the term quite loosely," he said with a smirk. "Do you care to guess what one might do in a place where they serve food?" Gold didn't bother defending his action. He wasn't looking for trust from these people. He couldn't help adding, "Someone must wish to make the deal for me to strike a bargain. I believe the saying in this land is 'it takes two to tango', and you and your lovely wife had tangoed more than once."

Gold took a few steps, determined to leave, and yet the further he went, the worse things felt. Something was going on, and he needed to understand who had caused this before he could reverse whatever they had done. 

Turning around, he stared at the other man. He should question him, get information and if he spent more time near James it was an added benefit. "Did you feel anything different? Did you notice anything? It started about half an hour ago."

"I've only been awake for an hour," James retorted. "The only strange thing that's happened since then is this conversation."

Gold was one of the most infuriating people James had ever met. The man knew very well they were going to Granny's to celebrate. They'd been in his shop when Ruby suggested it. And he hadn't gotten any food before he left. He had to be up to something. Always was, just like Regina. Magic users with their grey areas and word games.

Giving up the conversation as a bad gamble lost, he was the one who turned to leave, this time. But, he stopped just halfway up the steps to the diner when he felt a sudden kick in the gut, like he knew he was making the worst mistake in the world. It was the same sort of gut feeling he'd carried around when he was supposed to marry Abigail, Midas' daughter, instead of following his heart to Snow. What the hell?

James turned to eye Gold warily. "What did you do?"

Gold shook his head. "It wasn't me, and it wasn't Regina. I know her magic and this isn't her doing." No matter how much he thought about it, the conclusion was still the same. "If I didn't know better, I'd say this is Cora's doing, but it's not possible unless she's posing as your wife or daughter, but I didn't feel anything out of place from them." He stepped closer, unconsciously doing so, but feeling better as he did. "I was investigating the possible source when I ended up here. It was almost like I was meant to be here."

He waved a hand. "I know, it's ridiculous and I don't follow the cliches. I leave those for your family, but I do know magic, and something- someone is playing with us. Someone wants us close to each other, and it is you and not someone else in that dinner. I didn't know it when I came in, but it was obvious when we looked at each other, or when I tried to leave. Unsuccessfully, I might add. Should we try moving away and see what happens?"

James stepped down off the stairs, still staring at Gold. The uneasy knot in his chest loosened a bit.

"I wouldn't be awake if she was masquerading as one of them," he pointed out, considering the rest of the other man's words. James wasn't fond of magic as a general rule. He preferred enemies he could swing a sword at. Magic was too unpredictable, personal. Gold wasn't wrong. James had gone to him for magic more than once. Some magic couldn't only be fought with more magic. But, he still didn't like it.

Gold knew more about magic than anyone other than Regina, however, and James really didn't like magic the former imp didn't know.

"You're serious. Why would anyone want us close to each other?" He shook his head. It made no sense. The only thing anyone stood to gain from something like that was a headache from the constant arguments sure to come up. "Fine. Never mind the whys. Moving away sounds like a good idea. How about I go back to the party inside and you go do whatever it is you do?"

This time, he made it as far as the door before that sudden weight filled his chest again until James felt like he was being suffocated.

Gold barely took a step back, preferring to watch the other man walk away, admiring the way he walked. Oh for heaven's sake, he was going to kill anyone who caused this, because he certainly did not look at Prince Self-Righteous with interest. 

That line of thought was quashed when James went too far, leaving Gold breathless. It took some effort, but he moved forward and the grip around his lungs lessened. "The why," he said, when his breath became normal again, "will tell us the who, which in turn will show us how to reverse this spell. Now, should we tell your lovely family that you're coming home with me? Whoever did this is powerful enough to cast a spell on me. I want to be near my shop and objects that can help us stay alive." He smirked a little. "I'll let you play with my sword if it makes it better."

"You keep your sword in its scabbard and I won't be forced to use mine," James warned, darkly. He didn't want to admit that Gold was right, but as soon as the man had come closer again, James could breathe more easily. Whoever had done this was going to regret it as soon as they found a way to break this curse.

But first, he had to break the news to his family.

"Come on." He turned to enter the diner, but this time he paused long enough to make sure Gold was following him.

Definitely making whoever did this regret it.

* * *

Three weeks had passed from the celebrations. Three weeks of Gold having guests from the Charming family with the occasional dwarf and werewolf. It was getting tiresome. in fact, it was getting impossible not to murder them the moment they entered the shop, but the thought of watching those puppy dog eyes, looking at him, made him keep his magic in check.

That wasn't the only difficulty. He and James spent their days together, and the man was an idiot. How had he survived to adulthood was a mystery. Gold had to explain pretty much everything he was doing, not that any of his attempts had given them any leads about the spell of his caster. With each failed attempt, he was more determined to find the person responsible.

Gold was so engrossed with his task that he barely realized that it was Christmas Eve. Not that he really was into celebrating holidays based on a religion that burned to the stake anyone who practice magic. He had even said so aloud, which had started the discussion. "I mean exactly what I said. I don't celebrate Christmas. I pretend to do it when it's to my benefit, but that does not mean that I have decorations in my house or exchange gifts. It also means that I have no intention of going to Regina's party."

"That's fine. We can share my intentions." They were sharing practically everything else and James was starting to get cabin fever. He knew now why magic was never his thing: all the time spent indoors doing nothing. Day after day had been spent watching Gold mixing this and stirring that, spinning at that wheel. Despite the situation, he had the impression Gold was enjoying himself. He came alive when he was working with magic.

He was pacing but, as his steps took him closer to Gold, he grew calmer. He knew it was because of the spell or whatever it was. But, it helped with the restlessness and he'd found himself staying closer more often as time went on just for that reason. "If after three weeks you haven't figured out what's causing this, one night is not going to make a difference."

"True, but I'd rather spend the time here than dealing with those dimwits that inhabit this town," he answered, but really those puppy dog eyes were some kind of weapon, because even as he said it, he knew that you wouldn't deny James this. Also, the alternative was unthinkable. If the entire Charming family with friends showed up here to celebrate, he would really kill them. 

"We'll go for a short time and I reserve the right to leave if the sweetness causes me to feel ill." He looked James over for a moment. "And you will dress properly. I know you were a prince who understood how to dress. Jeans are not what to wear," he said with mild distaste. "Find whatever you like in closet and then we can go."

"I still am a prince," James pointed out. "One you made, if I recall." Grinning, he gave his most courtly bow before going to see if there was anything in the closet that would actually fit him.

 _One that I'd like to break apart and put back together_ , and where the hell had that thought come from? He was going to kill whoever had done this. No, death was too good. He'd find some horrible spell and make the person suffer forever.

He was so engrossed with all the possibilities that the potion exploded all over the counter and on his suit. "Great, just what I needed," he muttered, before cleaning up and heading for the shower and still managed to be ready before James, because the man was worse than a woman. It had to be the reason his hands look so soft, despite having grown up swing swords. 

Yes, death was too kind, because he did not notice James Charming's hands.

He most certainly wasn't looking at them when the man opened the door of Regina's home and let him step inside first, like he was some damsel in distress.

"Gold, James, it's good to see you together," Regina said, without hiding the smirk.

"Not a word, Regina," Gold warned.

"Have I said anything?" Regina feigned innocence as he looked between the two. "In fact, I've asked that no one remark on what a wonderful couple you are. Please, do enjoy the party."

"Jealous, Regina?" James quirked an eyebrow, not holding the same compunction against smirking.

"Grandpa, you came!" Henry's arrival took James' attention away from the pair of schemers and stopped him from questioning his own meaning behind the remark to Regina.

"I told you I would." Ruffling Henry's hair in greeting, James smiled. "Don't you trust me? And where are your manners, my young prince in training? Say hello to Mr. Gold." James couldn't help himself, really. Not that he tried very hard.

"Hi, Mr. Gold," Henry replied promptly, earning a wink from his grandfather.

"Hello, Henry. It's good to see you. Again." If he never saw members of this family again, it would be too soon. "Let me guess, Snow and Ms. Swan want to see your grandfather." At least Regina's bar would be well stocked. "Regina, do come and keep me company when you're done greeting your guests. Perhaps, you can help me with this curse." He waved the cane. "Go find them. I know you want to. I won't be far." He would try to see how far he could go to avoid listening to those inane women with their discussions about true love and happy endings.

"Nor will I." Not that either of them had a choice. "Come on, Henry, let's go say hello to Emma and your grandmother." Letting Henry lead the way, James glanced back at Gold. He wondered, for a moment if he should stay. But, then he shook it off and focused on Henry's excited chatter about some game he and the Hatter's daughter had gotten up to that afternoon.

Throughout the evening, however, James would find himself glancing in Gold's direction every so often. He knew he was making sure the man was close, though he told himself it was just to be certain they didn't get too far apart. Synchronized suffocation was not high on his Christmas list this year or any year.

"Keep staring at him like that," Red chided, drawing James' attention back to their conversation, "and people are going to start wondering if their prince is falling under the Dark One's spell."

"Sorry, Red. It's this curse. Has me on edge, I guess. I don't like the man, but if I stray too far..."

"Hey, remember who you're talking to. I get not wanting to hurt someone unintentionally. Go over there, Charming. You'll feel better."

"Yeah, okay. I think I will." Hugging his friend briefly, James took her advice. Maybe it was the curse and maybe it was his conscience, but she was right. He'd feel better if stayed closer to Gold.

He could sort out which was which after they figured out how to break this curse.

Gold had spent most of his time with Regina. There had been a brief and awkward moment with Belle. It was hard explaining to the love of your life why he was living with James or why he kept staring at the man throughout the night. There was also a discussion with Hopper, with the man rambling about attachment and modified Stockholm Syndrom. Gold had ignored him and walked away.

In the end, Regina proved to be the safest option, but even after hours discussing the curse, they had no idea what spell could have caused it, but more importantly, they didn't know how to cure it or who had cast it. When she had finally left, Gold had resigned himself to spending the rest of the party alone.

He should have known better.

"Are we finally free to leave?" he asked, choosing to misinterpret James' arrival. "If not, I fear I might drain Regina's bar." Despite the alluring call, he had barely touched any alcohol. Being drunk and losing control was never a smart idea, but it was even worse when one had the number of enemies Gold had. "I do have a bottle of fine liquor at home. It's one of my creation, if you'd rather have something more private and infinitely better than any commercial liquor."

"You know, I might be the prince, but you're definitely the snob." James could needle while considering the offer. Or why the offer sounded so appealing. "Do you never just spend time with people just to spend time with them? Get to know them instead of trying to find their weaknesses to manipulate them? You might be a happier man if you did."

Not waiting for an answer he was pretty sure wouldn't be forthcoming, James shrugged. He'd talked to everyone there already and could be nice. Gold hadn't wanted to come at all and was only here for James, after all. It was the right thing to do. "You haven't poisoned me in three weeks, I guess I can trust your own brew," he teased. "Sure, we can leave."

"As you pointed out, your lineage is questionable," he answered while he walked to the hall to retrieve his coat. He waited until they were outside to answer the rest of the questions. "I know people. I know better than they know themselves. It's rare that anyone does something I can't predict. When you already know what's about to happen, conversations become tedious webs to get you from point A to the inevitable point B."

There had been exceptions through the years, but not many. "Regina was one that resisted. I admit that I had to work hard to get her to do what I wanted. She had a good soul." He looked at James, almost daring him to say anything for or against the woman in question. "I had no choice, though. I needed her against Cora. She was the only one that could protect me and Fairytale Land from her mother. The only one that could take us here away from Cora and her magic. People owe her more than they will ever know."

Gold sighed as he walked through the deserted streets. "When you know what will happen and what you must do to prevent it, getting close to people is not advisable. Now, this curse was not something I knew about. Nothing seems to work on it. Neither Regina nor I can seem to break it with spells, which indicates that someone with more power cast it. We're back to Cora, but if it was her, why this? Why not kill us? And where is she? Nothing makes sense. I don't like it when things make no sense, therefore, I shall trust my own brew to ensure that I'm drunk within the safety of my home, while you can partake or not."

James could hardly believe what he was hearing and he was beginning to reconsider his reservations about hurting the other man. "Protect? This was your way of protecting our land? Nice try, but I'm not buying it.

"Regina destroyed most of our land with her curse. She took everything away from everyone, lives and families ripped apart in the name of her revenge against Snow. And this was for our protection? Stranding everyone here in this world is for our protection? You never make a deal that doesn't benefit you somehow. You wouldn't have manipulated her into pulling us here, to a world without magic, if you didn't need something here. This wasn't for the protection of our land, but more of your games between each other. You, Regina, Cora, you've been playing chess with the rest of our people as the pieces for too many years for me to believe you did any of this for our protection. Sorry."

:Most of our land," Gold pointed out. "And your wife and daughter found the way to get out of my cell, inside a cell, with Emma's name written on a parchment long before you named her. Some things need to happen, and yes, stranding people was for their protection. This particular land was for my benefit." He laughed. "Oh Regina would hate me for saying it, but she was a pawn as much as everyone. We needed to make her hate everyone. Your wife provided me with the perfect way in. Causing the death of the love of her life, tsk, tsk. Imagine what people would say if Regina caused Snow's death. Imagine what _you_ would say, how you would feel. You would do anything to get your revenge. I made sure that Regina never forgot how that felt. 

"Now, this curse does much the same, doesn't it? It takes you away from Snow. It takes me away from Belle. I don't know about you, but talking to her was rather... unpleasant. The more I talked to her, the more I needed to look for you, move closer to you. The curse doesn't just keep us together, but it shows that we'll never have what we wanted. Unless of course, Snow and Belle decide that they are already with some strange polygamous relationship." The idea was so ridiculous to even entertain. 

"Don't tell me that you can't see the beauty of this plan? It's personal, effective. It destroys everyone's happiness: yours, Snow's, mine, perhaps Belle's, Emma's. No one gets the happy ending, and as with most curses, even the death of the caster won't help us," he said. "You can't go out and slay the monster or we're stuck together forever. It's brilliant in its cruelty, which is why I know it wasn't Regina. She always holds back. There's part of her that is still good. You can see it with Henry."

They reached the house as they spoke, and Gold opened the door, walking in first. "Do you see why I keep going back to Cora? Why I'm obsessed with finding a cure? If I don't, we're stuck together forever." He turned around, standing closer than he had ever dared. "Tell me, Prince, do you feel it changing? Can you tell that the space gets shorter and shorter? Do you wake up at night and feel sick because we're sleeping in two separate rooms? How long do you think before we'll be forced to share a room?"

James stared down at Gold, hands fisting at his sides instead of shaking the other man by the shoulders as he wanted. "You know what the difference is between us, Gold? The real difference? You're so busy planning for the future you see, you haven't left yourself room for hope. You think it's Cora and she scares you. You ran to another world to escape her and now you think she's found you, even though she should still be trapped in our world. You're afraid and only capable of seeing the things that could go wrong."

He did put his hands on Gold's shoulders now, though instead of shaking them, he squeezed. "Yes, the distance we can spend apart is getting shorter and shorter. Maybe we'll have to stay in the same room before this is over. But, it will be over. We will find a way. Your magic, my sword, the random luck of the hero." James grinned. The last was a joke, though there was often more truth than poetry to it. "The rules of our land, the important ones, still apply. Good always wins over evil. And, Cora definitely classifies as evil. You brought magic to a land without it. Whether I agree with your aims or not, you manipulated an entire realm into doing what you needed to come here."

Suddenly realizing what he was doing, James dropped his hands. "You'll figure this out...or I can still try cutting her head off."

"You're so naive." Gold shook his head, not sure if he wanted to blow the perfect bubble the man lived in. "Good doesn't always win. I made you. I made sure that you and your family were safe. It wasn't good that won. It was my magic. Love has its own power, and that you and Snow created, but it's not good that triumphed; it was your love and now that's being interfered with."

He did chuckle a little. "If it is Cora, I'd love to see her face if you told her that you'll just cut her head off." Not that he believed that James could kill her, but it was a nice thought. 

Gold reached out and squeezed James' arm without even thinking. "Cora will have to wait until the morning. I plan to get drunk."

* * *

Another holiday, another party. This time, the fairies had invited everyone. It wasn't the same classy affair as Regina's party. This was more the equivalent of a Fourth of July barbecue for New Year's Eve. The entire town had helped decorate the inside and outside. There were tacky bright lights and a mish mash of decorations. Food was also eclectic to say the least, with people bringing whatever they could.

Gold was avoiding all food, but otherwise he was more relaxed that at Regina's. This was much more crowded and he was used to hiding in plain sight The biggest problem was convincing James to hide as well.

The man loved to be at the center of attention, whether he admitted it or not. There was also his family who wanted to spend time with him. Gold smiled at that thought. 

James' family was spending less and less time with him as his excuse became more creative. He couldn't admit to them that the curse was getting stronger and they were barely apart nowadays. They still didn't have to share a bed, but only because Gold had moved a second mattress in his room.

"Why are you smiling?" Regina asked as she approached. "Did you find the the cure?"

"I would be celebrating if that were true." He refrained from rolling his eyes at her. "He went to get something to drink for us. He'll be back soon."

"You still think it's Cora," she whispered.

"Yes, even if it makes no sense," he admitted.

"I hope you're wrong." She looked around. "I'll keep my eyes open. If it is here, she might be here." She smiled. "And here's your bodyguard. I'll better be going. James, enjoy the night."

"Regina." James nodded as she walked away and handed a champagne flute to Gold.

Finding something for each of them to drink without ranging too far away had been a quest in and of itself. In the end, he'd had to ask the Jefferson to reach over and hand him a beer because James simply couldn't go any further without risking collapse. The portal jumper had given him one of those enigmatic stares and smirked as he complied. James wanted to hit him, but thanked him instead and went back to Gold.

"You look like she just served you apple pie for dessert," he commented dryly. Despite the conversation of several days ago, James still didn't trust that woman. She might not be completely evil; she tried her best for Henry, even James could see that. But, he still wouldn't put anything past her, especially if Gold had just used her as a pawn in his match with Cora. "What's wrong now?"

"So suspicious, dearie." He almost let it drop like that, but James could be in danger, too, and that thought make him physically ill. "She pointed out that if it is Cora, she might be here to enjoy her work," he answered softly. "I'm hoping that since killing me would undo what her curse has done, she might not murder me tonight. Of course, if killing either one kills the other, she might get two birds with one stone, and I mean that literally. Your sword is no match for her and neither is a gun. Stay close … or closer. We probably should be moving as well. It's harder to spot us if we don't stand still for her to use as a target."

"Of her? Always." And yet, he stopped himself from saying the same of Gold because he wasn't sure, after basically living with the man for a month, it was still true. "You really do think about the most negative outcomes, don't you? I may not know much about magic, but I do know a bit about combat. If this was all just to weaken us by forcing us together so she could kill us both, there's no point in drawing it out like this. She could have tightened the radius from the started and attacked while we were all celebrating Snow and Emma's return. She loses the advantage of surprise by giving us time to get used to this. Unless the goal is fear, making us afraid enough to get paranoid and jump at shadows, which is when we start making mistakes."

James glanced at Gold. "In which case, you're letting her win right now. You're letting her call the shots if you do that."

"But magic doesn't always work like that. You need more than a simple spell, especially if you want to kill someone. If it were that easy, I would have been in charge a long time ago. Or Regina. Or Cora. Even magic follows rules," he said.

He started to walk, eyes darting over the crowd. "A healthy dose of fear has kept a great many men alive," he spat out, remembering just how much he hated people like James, with their bold statements and last stands, and when they died, they were gone forever. Instead, he had let fear dictate his action and he'd stayed alive. "You can swing your sword with fearless stupidity, while I will use caution, not that you can understand that."

"If I had something to swing my sword _at_ , or could do so without taking your head off, too, I would." James followed after Gold and he didn't even know if it was from choice or circumstance any longer. He was just getting tired of these constant circular conversations. It wasn't as if there was anything he _could_ do. He wasn't the magic user. He knew how to fight with a sword.

He knew how to fight.

That was the problem.

Prince Charming didn't know how to sit idly doing nothing.

Taking a pull from his beer, James forced himself to curb his frustration. "So what are the rules she's bound by? Magic has rules, which means she has to follow them, right? If she has to follow the rules, is there a way to break them that would then break her magic?"

"That's the problem. You can't fight her, not in the way you're used to. She could be standing in front of you, looking like someone else. She could look like her and the moment you try to hit her, she'll disappear." Gold was not going to underestimate her, not when she'd had the past twenty-nine years practicing magic in a way they hadn't.

Gold thought about the questions, but it wasn't that simple. "There are different types of curses. Some are inevitable. When you reach a certain age, you will do something that will cause you to sleep. It's another version of the sleeping curse, one that requires incredible power. Now, the one with the apple doesn't require as much, because it's tied to that apple. That the apple away and the curse won't ever take affect. There are things that magic can't do. It can't make you fall in love. Oh sure, it can make people feel lust or infatuation, but it's never really them, it's not a natural response. On the other hand, you can't make people fall out of love, not really. It's temporary at best, and somehow love always finds a way to break that. I think that's the problem she was having. She couldn't make either one of us be in love just like she couldn't make us stop loving, but that's why I keep saying that this curse is brilliant. It's not about love, it's about proximity and codependency."

He stopped, trying to understand what she would do next. "I don't know what her end game is, if it's even her, unless it's death. I know you think this gives us an advantage, but if she'd tried to kill us the moment the curse was cast, we might have been sick, but we'd survived. Something this strong would need time to create a bond between us. The stronger the bond, the more lethal the consequences if one of us got hurt or died. The curse needed the time and she enjoyed watching me trying to fight a curse I don't know."

Gold still didn't know what it was or how to stop it. "If it's not death, then I don't know what will come next. I doubt this is the end of it, though."

"I never said we had an advantage. I said she lost the advantage of surprise." James' grip tightened on the bottle in his hand. "Look, I get it. Magic is all powerful; this curse is brilliant; and I couldn't use my sword now even if there was something to fight with it."

Codependency? The only dependency on him Gold had was trusting James not to go too far. James was the one left needing Gold to figure this out while he tried not to go mad with the inaction. Gold seemed to be having the time of his life figuring this out. He might not know what the curse was, but he certainly appeared to love the challenge of finding out. Such a brilliant curse. If James had to listen to him praise the cleverness of this thing one more time, James might save Cora the trouble and lop the man's head off himself.

Watching Henry and some of the other children laughing, James focused on draining his beer instead of arguing the futility of their situation.

"Magic isn't all powerful. Nothing is. Even love can have it's drawbacks and love can create one of the most powerful forms of magic," Gold answered.

Gold would never understand the way these people thought. Regina he understood well, but James wasn't so easy, despite his claim to be a man with simple goals. "I tell you that one of the most powerful women I know could be here and you drink. You're a strange man, but keep drinking while you walk. I want to see who's here. We might be able to spot anyone who doesn't belong."

"And here I thought you knew people so well," James muttered. Damn it, was he actually feeling hurt that _Rumplestiltskin_ couldn't see how useless he felt? Despite Gold's insistence it wasn't possible, when they got out of this mess, James was going to find a way to run Cora through for this.

If it wasn't for the fact he strongly disliked magic in all forms just then, he was tempted to tell Gold to put him back under the sleeping curse until he could find the cure. At least then he wouldn't be aware of the passing days as he was forced to sit around doing nothing. But, that was the part of him that was David, speaking. That man had been a coward and that wasn't James, wasn't who he wanted to be.

And, he couldn't leave Gold undefended like that. Just because Gold seemed to believe James' skills useless, it didn't mean they wouldn't be needed. In fact, it might even be more likely. A smart enemy would know Gold was more likely to fight with magic than the sword and if James was asleep, Gold would be on his own.

"If she's as good as you say, how would you tell?" he asked for want of _anything_ to do. "If she looks like one of the townspeople you never like to talk to, how would you know? Or is it more magic?"

Gold gave him an enigmatic smile, before chuckling. "Nothing that complicated. Through the years, I've made deals with most people, here or back home, and deals require knowing people in some ways. She can replicate their appearance, but not their behavior or the way they walk, not unless she knew them." He turned his head to stare at James. "And, you know a fair amount, too. Between the two of us, we should be able to at least spot her if she comes at us."

He kept moving, but with every step, he made sure that James was near, whether it was a touch or a look, it didn't matter. With the possibility that Cora, or someone just as powerful, was nearby, Gold didn't want James too far. That, and the past few hours, the need to be close was getting worse. Without the random touches, he could feel his skin tighten, itching for that brief contact.

"What did you mean by what you said? That you thought I knew people?" Gold knew people better than they knew themselves most of the times.

"The other night, when I twitted you about talking to people and getting to know them," James replied. "You said you know people. Better than they know themselves. But, now you're calling me strange as if you can't figure me out, despite having 'made' me."

"Knowing what people will do doesn't make them any less strange," Gold pointed out. "I've seen brave princes fight even when the odds were against them, even when it led to their death, and yet, they did it anyway. I knew they would do it, and I still thought them strange for picking certain death over a strategic retreat.

"You are even stranger. Just because you can't play the White Knight you decide to drink when we could be in danger. If it helps, I will hide behind you if Cora shows up," he said with a smirk.

There was another brush of their hands and he felt a sense of relief wash through him. "Are you feeling this, too?

"It's _a_ beer. Given the number of them David went through while he was trying to decide between Katherine and Mary Margaret, I don't think we're in too much danger of impairment," James replied with a chuckle of his own.

He stopped walking and turned to face Gold. "It's not about playing the damn White Knight. And, yes, I feel it. I've been feeling it all night. And from everything you've said, there's nothing I can do about it. I can't fight it. I don't know enough about magic to do anything to help there. And even if I could fight it, as long as we have to be this close, hiding behind me if Cora shows up is the only way I'd be able to without cutting _your_ head off.

"You want to know why those brave princes go out and fight in uneven odds? It's because they have to do something, they can't just sit back and let others fall or run away and hope they find a reason to stop running later. It's because odds are just numbers and for every one that falls in battle, another one _wins_. But, this fight is all on you, as you've made perfectly clear every time you sigh or roll your eyes because there's something about magic that I, as someone who hasn't spent centuries studying the stuff, doesn't understand. You keep talking about what we can't do, what won't work. And you think I'm strange for being frustrated when it seems like there's nothing that _will_ work?"

"If I knew what to do, we wouldn't be having this discussion, would we?" He'd be celebrating with Belle if he were lucky and James would be with Snow. The thought alone made his stomach clench. "I know hate, rage, revenge, but this is something different. It's like she's found a wake to make us care without being in love, and I don't know how to fight it. Maybe-" He sighed again, but not for the reason James might think. "Perhaps you should learn about magic, or at least learn what I'm doing. You understand love and caring. Maybe you can help me find the solution." He smiled a little. "It's not like you'll be going far." Was he really squeezing James' hand? They were so in trouble. "We'll find a way together." When Snow or Henry said it, they believed it. When he said it, it was a lie, but he couldn't stand seeing the frustration and sadness in James' eyes.

"Just a little longer and if we don't see anything, we can go back to your family, right the new year with them, before we go home. Is that agreeable?"

"Regina's been trying to fight love for years and failing," James pointed out. "You ca-"

No. It couldn't be that simple, could it? A month of test after test, building frustrations only for the answer to be as simple as that?

"It wouldn't have worked a month ago. Would it? We didn't care." He wasn't explaining properly. And he couldn't believe he was contemplating this. But, it made sense and it was something they were unlikely to think of because it went against their natural instincts to fight what was happening to them. And magic couldn't make people care for each other. People did that just by being people.

"Maybe we're not supposed to fight it. Maybe...if I'm wrong just remember you can't kill me without probably killing yourself, okay? Or just...blame it on that." James pointed to the mistletoe hanging innocently above their heads. Then, before he could lose his nerve or Gold could catch on and stop him, he lowered his head to brush Gold's lips with his own.

Gold had no idea what the rambling was about, because he might be able to predict people, but understanding their inanity was not something he needed to do, but when he finally did, he tried to stop- No, that wasn't true. He thought about the foolishness of the act, knew about all the possible consequences, but for an instant, he let himself believe.

Only an instant.

It was enough to feel the magic grow stronger and he pushed James away. "What have you done?"

* * *

Cora watched from the shadows, a smile on her face. The curse was finally complete. They would never be able to be away from each other. In time, she'd torture one and watch the other suffer. In time, she would give Hook the pleasure to kill them, but until then, she'd watch their lives and the lives of their families being destroyed. And when they'd fall in love, and in time they would... oh well, Regina would really enjoy watching Snow break apart.


End file.
